Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-28

To the Editor of the Free Press
The article "Who changed the Sab
bath ?" in the FREE PRESS of the 12th
inst, is as confused in its statement of
historical facts as it is absurd in its con-
illusions. To pass by its limpng logic
which makes the conclusion contradict
the major premise, the article says:
No ecclesiastical writer previous to A.
d. 1874 gives the title of Lords day to the
first day of the week.
The so-caled "Epistle of Barnabas" is
spurious. The letter of Pliny TO Trajan
speaks of a stated day but does does not
specify which day of the week 1t was
The epistle of Ignatius TO the Magne.
slams is itself a forgery and the passage
which is made to speak of Sunday As the
Lords day has been interpolated into that
forgery.
Justin Martyr, A. d., 40, does not use
he term Lords day as is so often assert.
ed.
IL these assertions mean anything for
the writer, they mean that neither these
ecclesiastical writers nor any other give
us anything reliable in regard to the early
use of Sunday as the Christian day of
rest and worship. But, if Justin Martyr
does not use the term Lords day" he
does give specific testimony in respect to
Sunday thus ION the day called Sun
day, all (Christians) who live in cities or
in the country gather together in one
place and the records of the apostles or
the writings of the prophets are read as
long as we have time" apostolic Futh-
erS, page 1871.
OF the epistles of Ignatius, Eusebius,
the great church historian, gives by name
seven, which he says, were written by
Ignatius on his way to Rome" Among
!, - h.. ~, H..
Though some of these epistles have been
lately held to be spurious, it is the judg-
ment of Bishop Lightfoot that these sew.
en- epistles are "authoritative for the mid
die of the second century"
In respect to the sO-callsd "epistle of
Barnabas" if 1t was not written by the
companion of Paul who bore this name,
the close OF the first century. In 1t the
writer says 1--WE christians keep the
eighth day with joyfulness, the day on
which Jesus rose from the dead "See
Antinicene Lib Vol. l., page l2S.
lrenaus' Bishop of Lyons, born about
the term Lords day and says if it was
given by Eusebius The mystery of our
Lords resurrection should be celebrated
on no other day than the Lords day
Id Vol. Q, page 1872.
Melito, Bishop of Sardis, born early in
luc ScCoil'l CENTURY anu living III lO5, anu
the Teachings of the Apostles" which
some of the best authorities place in the
first half of the second century, could be
quoted in harmony with these. and many
others.
The reference of the writer of the ar
ticle to Dan. vii;25, is to to say the least,
not very thoroughly made. The daring
contempt of God and the swelling variety
Of the power or person in that passage,
though they triumph for a time and
'swear out the saints of the Most High ="
are not very good foundations to build
upon, for ''the judgment shall sit" ana
his dominion be taken away and con
sumed unto the end. "
1t hardly seems worth your space to re-
ply further, or TO characterize the asser
tons ''the church has power to institute
festivals" and "has changed the Sabbath
to Sunday :" Sunday is not the Saba th
and no man dare assert that it is" and
''all the world bow down and worship on
that day in silent obedience to the man
date of the Catholic church" We Won
der that the writer could stop here and
not go on to say Gan the world lick the
dust, and kiss Peters great toe.